Leppert, who served as Dallas mayor from 2007-10, has been up close with Cruz. He ran against him in the 2012 GOP primary for U.S. Senate. Leppert finished behind then Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Cruz, who went on to win the general election and replace Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Leppert, the former CEO of Turner Construction, campaigned for a Senate seat as a conservative, business Republican with solutions to fix Washington.